The present invention relates to the removal of ice located on the outside surface of a window by a device operated on the inside of the window and, in particular, it concerns a hand held device deployed adjacent to the inside surface of a window so as to remove ice from the outside surface of the window by employing infrared heat energy that melts the ice adjacent to the interface of the ice and the window.
The most common means of removing ice from automobile windshields has been, and still is, to stand outside the automobile and scrape the ice off the windshield using any number of scraping devices of varying sizes and shapes.
Numerous methods and devices have been suggested over the years for the removal of ice from the outside of a vehicle windshield by a person on the inside of the vehicle. The majority of these suggestions are for devices using infrared heat sources. Early examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,243,703 to Brumeister et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,668,678 to Hassinger, U.S. Pat. No. 1,754,669 to Cohen, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,917,141 to Middleton, and Swiss Patent No. 162,876 to Grossauer. Examples that are more recent include French Patent No. 2590789A to Lepinoy and German Patent No. 4122462A to Binder. In all these cases, the devices are mounted to a surface either permanently or temporarily during use.
A hand held portable de-icer is disclosed in European Patent No. 271430A to Fleck. This device includes a conical reflector with a clear cover to protect the heating element. EP 271430A does not teach, however, any structure that allows the device to become more compact between uses.
There is therefore a need for a handheld device operated on the inside of a vehicle, or other window, for the removal of ice from the outside surface of the vehicle windshield, or other window, the device being structurally configured so as to become more compact for storage purposes. It would be advantageous if the device, when in the compact state, were to provide protection of the heating element during transportation. It would be of further advantage if the device included a safety switch so as to prevent unintentional activation.
The present invention is a hand held device deployed adjacent to the inside surface of a window so as to remove ice from the outside surface of the window by employing infrared heat energy that melts the ice adjacent to the interface of the ice and the window.
According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, a device for removing ice located on the outside surface of a window, the device being deployed adjacent to an inside surface of the window, the device directing infrared heat energy through the window, the device comprising: (a) a main housing; (b) an infrared heat energy source mounted to the main housing; (c) at least one reflector attached to the main housing, the reflector configured so as to direct the infrared heat energy toward the window; and (d) at least one panel movably attached to the main housing, the panel being deployable between a closed and open position, such that when the at least one panel is deployed in the closed position the infrared energy source is substantially enclosed in a volume defined by the main housing and the at least one panel, and when the at least one panel is deployed in the open position the infrared heat source is exposed.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, the at least one panel is hingedly attached along at least part of a first side to the main housing.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, the at least one panel is implemented as two panels such that the volume is defined by the main housing and the two panels in that each of the two panels includes closure surfaces which have corresponding closure surfaces included in an other of the two panels such that when the two panels are deployed in the closed position, the closure surfaces substantially abut the corresponding closure surfaces.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, the two panels are configured so as to hingedly rotate in opposite directions.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, the at least one reflector is implemented as two reflectors, each one of which is mounted to an inside surface of one of the two panels.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, each one of the two panels includes at least one window-contact surface, such that deployment of the device with the panels deployed in the open position and the window-contact surface of each of the two panels in contact with the window defines an optimal distance of the infrared heat source from the window.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, the infrared heat energy source is electrically powered by a remote power source.
There is also included according to a further teaching of the present invention, a safety switch for activation of the infrared heat energy source, the safety switch configured as a normally off switch such that the switch must be held in an on position in order to activate the infrared heat energy source.
According to a further teaching of the present invention, the main housing is held by use of a handle, and the handle is used to position the device in relation to the window.